Paradise Pier best route

[ghertz]

We're going to be staying at Paradise Pier next week. We haven't stayed at Paradise Pier before or been to DL this time of year so I'm trying to plan my routes and figure out when I need to be lined up at security, and which one, for Early Entry. It seems like the security entrance by the Disneyland hotel, although I'm not sure where it is, or cut through the grand Californian and use that security entrance. Any advice on Early Entry from Paradise Pier?

 

[ParkHopper1]

Cutting through the GCH is the shottest path but there has been conflicting information on access for non GCH guests through the front door of the GCH. There is a gate some have been denied access when there is a guard there and other say their PPH room key opened the gate.

Either way, for Early Entry many advise suing the main gates and not the GCH/DCA gate as that can get backed up at rope drop if you are tying to maximize EE time.

I have seen GCH security heading into DTD backed up literally to the lobby in early mornings so the known safest route is pedestrian walkway to the Disneyland Hotel and enter DTD there. Rarely a significant security backup.

 

[pharmama]

Don't forget about the new(ish) entrance for PPH guests to DCA if that's your starting park. There's a few other recent threads here about that (one started by me) where others have said it was open for EE and quick to get in. It may not be the most optimal location depending on where you're headed but shorter lines etc. might be worthwhile anyway. It doesn't take that long to get just about anywhere in DCA when the park isn't super busy yet. We plan to give that entrance (and exit) a go when we're there this weekend.

 

[shosh1530]

We stayed at PP in October and always used the entrances near the Grand Californian. For DCA, there is the new gate just as you cross the street headed toward the Grand that leads into DCA. We did this one morning for early entry and didn't encounter a line (although we got there right at 7:30 so others had already gone in. It might not be ideal if you are trying to get quickly to rides far from Pixar Pier. But we had not trouble getting over to Guardians and Web Slingers during our early entry time.

For Disneyland, we also went through the Grand. There is a second gate that you can use your key card to go toward the main drive/entrance. We had not trouble entering there and then going through the security from the Grand. We did not go super super early though, and got into the park probably 7:35. But we still were able to do several rides over in Fantasyland before the crowds showed up.

I think for hardercore early entry folks, going through the Downtown Disney entrance near the Disneyland Hotel is the usual recommendation. This will allow you get into the park the fastest and be in position for early entry.

 

[Jrog92]

Don't forget about the new(ish) entrance for PPH guests to DCA if that's your starting park. There's a few other recent threads here about that (one started by me) where others have said it was open for EE and quick to get in. It may not be the most optimal location depending on where you're headed but shorter lines etc. might be worthwhile anyway. It doesn't take that long to get just about anywhere in DCA when the park isn't super busy yet. We plan to give that entrance (and exit) a go when we're there this weekend.

Is there a map somewhere that shows where that new PP entrance is?

 

[pharmama]

Is there a map somewhere that shows where that new PP entrance is?

 

[Philsfan77]

for anyone who has stayed recently...how is the construction on site? disrupt your vacation at all? debating booking this for july before we move to VGC.

 

[monkeypat83]

for anyone who has stayed recently...how is the construction on site? disrupt your vacation at all? debating booking this for july before we move to VGC.

I am staying there Sunday to Tuesday (assuming I can get there on my Southwest flight) so if no one else has responded I can speak to it next week

 

[Philsfan77]

I am staying there Sunday to Tuesday (assuming I can get there on my Southwest flight) so if no one else has responded I can speak to it next week

I appreciate it...hopefully everything goes smooth. The good news is at this time the past few days, they already had cancelled the next days flights 2 days out. So far for Friday they haven't announced any cancellations, so maybe they finally are seeing a light at the end of the tunnel.

 

[monkeypat83]

I appreciate it...hopefully everything goes smooth. The good news is at this time the past few days, they already had cancelled the next days flights 2 days out. So far for Friday they haven't announced any cancellations, so maybe they finally are seeing a light at the end of the tunnel.

That is what I am hoping too! You can still buy flights for SJC to SNA for both Saturday and Sunday (the day I am flying) so I am taking that as a good sign too that things are getting back on track

 

[Philsfan77]

That is what I am hoping too! You can still buy flights for SJC to SNA for both Saturday and Sunday (the day I am flying) so I am taking that as a good sign too that things are getting back on track

Did you end up making it there? How was the hotel?

 

[TomorrowlandKD]

I'd love to know too! Thinking of staying there in a few months....

 

[monkeypat83]

We made it there with no issues and on the way back our flight was delayed but the previous flight to San Jose was also delayed so we were able to switch to the earlier flight that actually ended up leaving only about 10 minutes later than our original flight was supposed to. Our luggage came on our original flight so I had to go pick it up the next day but it was worth it because my toddler was already tired from a long day at Disney and we were just ready to be home.

We enjoyed our stay at the hotel. We did the online check in and told them we would be there about noon and our room was actually ready while we were giving our bags to the bell hop right after we checked in so we just took them up the room ourselves instead. We were on the 11th floor with a view of the pool, a parking lot and a partial view of the Disneyland Hotel. I had stayed at the hotel before so knew what to expect in terms of the room and décor. We had the daybed in our room and my 3 year old loved it. I sat on it and it seemed like a regular mattress that is much more comfy than a sofa bed. The room was plenty big for the 2 adults and 1 kid and all our stuff including a Mockingbird stroller that we never folded up in the room. The bathroom suited us fine and nothing looked overly worn but nothing looked new either.

Our first day was a non-park day so I took my daughter to the pool even though it was cold out because I knew the Paradise Pier pool was closed and that we would get to use the Disneyland Hotel pool. They drove us over to the pool in a golf cart which my daughter thought was the coolest (she is 3) and we sat by the pool and ordered lunch and splashed around in the shallow pool around the bottom of the slides. She did the little short slides but we didn't do the monorail slides since she was a little nervous to do those alone and she couldn't sit in my lap for those. When we were ready to go back we went to the pick up spot to wait for the golf cart to come back. They told me the carts came every 10 to 15 minutes and we didn't need to call to ask for a ride back. It seemed like we waited a bit more than 15 minutes but it could just seemed long because we were wet and a bit cold at that point. I ordered a cocktail a few minutes before we left the pool and took it back to the room with me and no one said anything about taking alcohol off the Disneyland Hotel property but I guess we never left Disney hotel property because we were in the golf cart and then in the Paradise Pier Hotel.

The ever popular elevator question: The only time we had any issue waiting for an elevator was the two mornings we were going to the parks for early entry. The first day when we just had a stroller we had to wait a few minutes for an elevator to come but when it came we were able to fit in. The second day when we had the stroller and our luggage we ended up having to split up and go down in 2 separate elevators. It wasn't too big of a deal and actually not any longer of a wait then when I have stayed at the big Hilton near the convention center in lower floors. Going up to our floor we never had any issue with the elevators.

When we were getting our stuff from the bell hop at the end of the last day they gave us some 2023 New Year candy bars so that was a nice touch. (we were there January 1-3).

If you are looking for the fuel rod exchange machine it is located in the little food shop off to one side and an easy stop on the way out to the parks or on your way back to the room at then end of the night

Hope this helps!

 

[Philsfan77]

We made it there with no issues and on the way back our flight was delayed but the previous flight to San Jose was also delayed so we were able to switch to the earlier flight that actually ended up leaving only about 10 minutes later than our original flight was supposed to. Our luggage came on our original flight so I had to go pick it up the next day but it was worth it because my toddler was already tired from a long day at Disney and we were just ready to be home.

We enjoyed our stay at the hotel. We did the online check in and told them we would be there about noon and our room was actually ready while we were giving our bags to the bell hop right after we checked in so we just took them up the room ourselves instead. We were on the 11th floor with a view of the pool, a parking lot and a partial view of the Disneyland Hotel. I had stayed at the hotel before so knew what to expect in terms of the room and décor. We had the daybed in our room and my 3 year old loved it. I sat on it and it seemed like a regular mattress that is much more comfy than a sofa bed. The room was plenty big for the 2 adults and 1 kid and all our stuff including a Mockingbird stroller that we never folded up in the room. The bathroom suited us fine and nothing looked overly worn but nothing looked new either.

Our first day was a non-park day so I took my daughter to the pool even though it was cold out because I knew the Paradise Pier pool was closed and that we would get to use the Disneyland Hotel pool. They drove us over to the pool in a golf cart which my daughter thought was the coolest (she is 3) and we sat by the pool and ordered lunch and splashed around in the shallow pool around the bottom of the slides. She did the little short slides but we didn't do the monorail slides since she was a little nervous to do those alone and she couldn't sit in my lap for those. When we were ready to go back we went to the pick up spot to wait for the golf cart to come back. They told me the carts came every 10 to 15 minutes and we didn't need to call to ask for a ride back. It seemed like we waited a bit more than 15 minutes but it could just seemed long because we were wet and a bit cold at that point. I ordered a cocktail a few minutes before we left the pool and took it back to the room with me and no one said anything about taking alcohol off the Disneyland Hotel property but I guess we never left Disney hotel property because we were in the golf cart and then in the Paradise Pier Hotel.

The ever popular elevator question: The only time we had any issue waiting for an elevator was the two mornings we were going to the parks for early entry. The first day when we just had a stroller we had to wait a few minutes for an elevator to come but when it came we were able to fit in. The second day when we had the stroller and our luggage we ended up having to split up and go down in 2 separate elevators. It wasn't too big of a deal and actually not any longer of a wait then when I have stayed at the big Hilton near the convention center in lower floors. Going up to our floor we never had any issue with the elevators.

When we were getting our stuff from the bell hop at the end of the last day they gave us some 2023 New Year candy bars so that was a nice touch. (we were there January 1-3).

If you are looking for the fuel rod exchange machine it is located in the little food shop off to one side and an easy stop on the way out to the parks or on your way back to the room at then end of the night

Hope this helps!

I appreciate all the feedback! Doesn't sound like the construction was too much of an issue while you all were there then. We are looking at July. hopeful most of the work will be done, but since no time line is announced, I'm thinking i'm being overly optimistic about that. Glad you guys had a great trip!

 

[pharmama]

The biggest annoyance for me with the construction (we stayed Dec 16-19) was the lobby/front of the hotel being completely closed means you can only enter and exit the hotel in the back towards the parking structure. While this is the exit I would use anyway if I was going to DL or DTD (or the DLH), it was a bit annoying to have to go all the way around PPH to cross over to the new DCA entrance or the GCH. In the past I would always cut through the lobby and exit over by the Paradise Grill. Same thing for returning the park. We loved the new DCA entrance/exit and often found ourselves strategizing to leave the parks that way but it was annoying to have to walk all the way around the hotel to get in.

We also had an uber driver who didn't know where to go to pick us up for our ride to the airport but we saw him make a wrong turn at the parking entrance (they have to drive through the parking garage and come up the driveway in front of the hotel's rear doors for the rideshare pickup zone) and flagged him down.

I agree that the room was "fine" and what I expected having stayed there before, though it had been over 3 years since my last stay. The rooms are looking a bit worn and dated but are still ok (as long as I don't think too hard about what they are charging for them). Nothing was broken or anything, though the bath fixtures were a bit rough (which I kind of recall being an issue on our stay 3 years ago too...).

 

[monkeypat83]

The biggest annoyance for me with the construction (we stayed Dec 16-19) was the lobby/front of the hotel being completely closed means you can only enter and exit the hotel in the back towards the parking structure. While this is the exit I would use anyway if I was going to DL or DTD (or the DLH), it was a bit annoying to have to go all the way around PPH to cross over to the new DCA entrance or the GCH. In the past I would always cut through the lobby and exit over by the Paradise Grill. Same thing for returning the park. We loved the new DCA entrance/exit and often found ourselves strategizing to leave the parks that way but it was annoying to have to walk all the way around the hotel to get in.

We also had an uber driver who didn't know where to go to pick us up for our ride to the airport but we saw him make a wrong turn at the parking entrance (they have to drive through the parking garage and come up the driveway in front of the hotel's rear doors for the rideshare pickup zone) and flagged him down.

I agree that the room was "fine" and what I expected having stayed there before, though it had been over 3 years since my last stay. The rooms are looking a bit worn and dated but are still ok (as long as I don't think too hard about what they are charging for them). Nothing was broken or anything, though the bath fixtures were a bit rough (which I kind of recall being an issue on our stay 3 years ago too...).

I agree the lobby being closed and having to go the "long way" to DCA or GCH was a little annoying but I knew that is how it would be when I booked the hotel so made the best of it. A perk of the construction was actually that to pool was closed because the pool there is really nothing special and I love the Disneyland Hotel pool so I got that amenity for the price of Paradise Pier. My daughter is a little fish so I was happy to take her to the pool even though the weather was cold so if the Paradise Pier pool is still closed in July it would be a perfect time to use the DLH pool though I am sure it will be much more crowded than when we went...

 

[The Mayor]

We are thinking of staying at the PPH in October. Will construction be on going then? We wont be using the pool so that's not an issue.

 

[pharmama]

I don't think they've announced a timeline for PPH construction to be completed. They haven't even started on the guest rooms and are mainly working on the exterior, lobby/restaurants and pool right now. I think it's highly likely it will still be under construction in October though I could see it being close to done by then.

 

[Pluto468]

I always hear that you can "Cut through GCH" from Paradise Pier to get to Disneyland, but what exactly does this mean? You just wander through the halls and somehow find the lobby? Silly question maybe but I've always wondered exactly HOW you cut through GHC.

Also, does anyone know if PP has any restaurants open yet and is the lobby still closed?

 

[remyvisitsDLR]

I always hear that you can "Cut through GCH" from Paradise Pier to get to Disneyland, but what exactly does this mean? You just wander through the halls and somehow find the lobby? Silly question maybe but I've always wondered exactly HOW you cut through GHC.

Also, does anyone know if PP has any restaurants open yet and is the lobby still closed?

At least for my group, and I don’t know about others, but that means we cross the street and enter the GCH through that entrance and then cut through the hotel to the DTD entrance and then head to DL from there.

As for PP, we stayed there about 2 weeks ago and all the restaurants are still closed, but they do offer that service from DTD still! And the lobby is still closed with the hotel entrance and everything temporarily in the back